Teaching for today

History shows that Christians have long had an influence for good on the world around them. In this lecture, Ranald Macaulay will explain how the Christian faith has had a profound impact upon the moral and intellectual foundations of British society. Christians have pioneered advancements in civil liberty, education, health care and democracy. The past should help and encourage us as we look to the future.

Throughout scripture, beginning with the Fall, there is a conflict between good and evil. Today, Christians are in a battle against “the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). Far from hindering the gospel, there are times when God uses conflict to further his redemptive purposes.

The Lord Jesus emphatically declares that Christians are different – they are the salt and light of the world. Yet he also warns that if salt loses its saltiness, it is “no longer good for anything”. We must not lose our distinctive, influencing, Christian nature. If we live in conspicuous obedience to Christ we will stand out and fulfil our calling, “that [men] may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16b).

B.B. Warfield was one of a number of Princeton theologians who strongly held on to the infallibility of scripture in the context of an increasingly liberal church. Warfield wrote: “God speaks to us now, in Scripture, not only mediately through his representatives, but directly through the Scriptures themselves as His inspired word.” He was one of the leading defenders of the Bible in the history of the Christian church. Warfield is still widely read today and is responsible for a large collection of published articles, sermons and essays.

John Nevin was one of the most significant American theologians of the 19th century. The favourite student of Charles Hodge at Princeton University, he went on to become a professor of theology at the German Reformed Seminary at Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. He argued against the prevailing revivalist theology of Charles Finney and the individualism of his day. He helped Protestants nurture a high view of the Lord's Supper. He also worked alongside his close friend and colleague Philip Schaff to promote the vital importance of church history.

J. Gresham Machen was a distinguished scholar, incisive theologian, and committed churchman who fought higher criticism and co-founded two of the most important institutions of American Presbyterianism. He was the leading voice for Reformed thinking during the fundamentalist-modernist controversy of the early 20th Century. He served as Professor of New Testament at Princeton until the seminary was overtaken by liberals, leaving to establish Westminster Theological Seminary. Likewise, after years of resisting liberalism within the Presbyterian Church, Machen helped form the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Jonathan Edwards is arguably America's best known preacher and theologian, and one of the most influential evangelicals of all time. Under God his teaching was not only of a high intellectual calibre but was also used by the Lord in the widespread US revival known as the Great Awakening. Edwards is often called 'the last Puritan' and is described by J.I. Packer as “a Puritan born out of due time”. Shortly before his early death Edwards was made president of the College of New Jersey, which would later become Princeton University.

One of the most influential Christians of recent times, Francis Schaeffer pioneered modern apologetics. Converted from agnosticism, Schaeffer went on to study at Westminster Theological Seminary under Cornelius Van Til. Throughout his life Schaeffer countered the philosophy of relativism by defending the existence of absolute truth. In his biography Colin Duriez describes Schaeffer's teaching as being able to "deeply and personally influence people of every age and position… in a way that few others have."

The twentieth Century has highly prized human freedom. Totalitarian state control in the former Communist countries has been seen to collapse. Is there now a moral danger from the political right where some advocate freedom unfettered by morality?

If Enlightenment thinking (see Optimistic Humanism) leads to the death of God, Nihilism, according to Nietzsche saw 'the death of his murderer'. Nihilism rejects absolutes and objective meaning.

The Human race is destined to progress. This idea has come to dominate modern thought. Man will be his own salvation through science and democracy. Belief in God is not only seen as irrelevant, it is positively harmful. Enlightenment thinking which began 300 years ago has come to dominate the Western World. Its ideas were formally codified in the 1933 Humanist Manifesto.

Pluralism

"To the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." (Ephesians 1:6) "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him." (1 John 4:9)

"Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture."(Psalm 100:3) "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

"God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords." (1 Timothy 6:15) "To the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and for evermore!" (Jude 1:25)